Erin Lindsay

Erin Lindsay is a fictional character on the NBC police procedural drama Chicago P.D., portrayed by actress Sophia Bush. Lindsay, a detective in the Intelligence Unit of the Chicago Police Department, was first introduced on Chicago Fire, in which she is a recurring character.

Background

Lindsay was born on April 29, 1985, and celebrated her 30th birthday during the events of the Intelligence/Special Victims Unit joint operation to apprehend a serial rapist, killer, and arsonist (Dallas Roberts).^[1][2]

Little is known about Lindsay's early childhood except that her dad abused her and her mother, Bunny, was a drug addict. She has a half-brother, Teddy Courtney, who was taken by a pedophilia ring at age 13 and was found turning tricks in New York City 10 years later.^[3][4]

Lindsay grew up on the street and by the age of 14, she had already been arrested 5 times on charges including misdemeanor, simple battery, retail theft, solicitation, and unlawful possession of marijuana. At some point in her early teens, she became then-Detective Hank Voight's CI. Later, Voight took her in and raised her like a daughter. When she was 16, Voight had her enrolled in St. Ignatius School for a new start, however the girls at the school quickly found out about her past. St. Ignatius made a deal with Voight that if Erin was in a fight, she would be expelled. Erin opted to tolerate the bullying instead of disappointing Voight.^[5] Because of this, she is closer with Voight than the other members of the unit.

Lindsay didn't attend college, but instead went straight into the police academy after high school. After graduation, she spent four years on the west side of Chicago as a patrol officer, which she said was all the education she needed.^[6]

One of her first weeks in uniform she caught a young boy shoplifting. The boy took it out from his pocket and put it back. She got whatever she was getting and then heard gunshots she ran outside and saw the boy lying dead on the ground while two men drove off. She still feels guilty about this and tells Lieutenant Kelly Severide about it.

Character arc

Chicago Fire

Lindsay visits Firehouse 51 to warn the firefighters about possible unsavory characters during a blackout. She is first on scene when a thug named Vince Keeler attempts to attack a man at the firehouse. Lieutenant Kelly Severide forces Keeler out and is given a death threat. Shortly after the blackout, Keeler and his gang kidnap Severide's sister Katie as retaliation. Lindsay is a go-between for updates on the case. Severide beats information about Katie's whereabouts out of an ally of Keeler's. This results in a successful takedown and reunion between Severide and Katie. Lindsay talks to Katie in the hospital and it is implied that Keeler beat and raped her. Keeler also manages to use a higher up power in the CPD to be released. This angers both Severide and Otis, Katie's boyfriend. The two begin to plot revenge with two other firefighters. Katie leaves for New York for a fresh start and to be away from Keeler. Keeler is discovered to be missing, with the keys to his Cadillac in the ignition. Lindsay immediately suspects both Severide and Otis. She runs an investigation of the two but comes up empty. It is implied that Severide and Katie's father, Benny, had possibly murdered Keeler. Voight and Lindsay immediately remove Severide and Otis as suspects.

Chicago P.D.

In season 1, she dated CFD firefighter Lieutenant Kelly Severide from Chicago Fire and was one of the lead detectives investigating the kidnapping of Severide's half-sister Katie. She has a close working partnership with Detective Jay Halstead that could develop into something more personal later on. However, Voight has strictly forbidden any non-professional relationship between the two. This is partly due to Lindsay's implied commitment issues stemming from her rough childhood. Lindsay has compassion for vulnerable young people as she can relate. She tries twice unsuccessfully to get a 17-year-old prostitute and heroin addict, Nadia, to enter drug rehab. In "A Beautiful Friendship", Erin has successfully helped Nadia with her drug addiction and helped her get a job as the Intelligence Unit's civilian administrative aide.^[7]

In "Conventions", Lindsay strikes up a friendship with Detective Amanda Rollins, of the NYPD Special Victims Unit.^[8] The two partnered up again during the joint-Chicago/New York City investigation into a pedophile ring.

In "8:30 PM", Lindsay was hold hostage by a suspect that had connections to the bombing. But was rescued when firefighters Cruz and Mills blindside him from behind and free Lindsay.

In "Chicago Crossover", Lindsay was injured by a cyclist while in pursuit of a suspect with connections to a pedophile ring. Voight urges Lindsay to go back to Chicago and rest.^[9]

In "Called in Dead", Lindsay takes a job with a federal task force,^[10] and in "We Don't Work Together Anymore", she is deputized as a DEA task force officer.^[11] In "Disco Bob", Lindsay becomes disillusioned with the task force, with its seemingly-endless bureaucracy and the menial tasks her handler assigned to her (she was to spend a number of weeks with the target's wife, simultaneously pumping her for information and keeping her out of the task force's way), leading her to resign and return to the Chicago PD and Intelligence.^[12] While on the task force, she consummates her relationship with Jay.

Crossover appearances

She has appeared on Chicago Fire before Chicago PD even started, some after to get more information on investigations, and on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit to assist.

• Chicago Fire - "Rhymes With Shout" (November 26, 2013)
• Chicago Fire - "You Will Hurt Him" (December 3, 2013)
• Chicago Fire - "Tonight's the Night" (January 21, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "Virgin Skin" (February 25, 2014)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Comic Perversions" (February 26, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "Keep Your Mouth Shut" (March 4, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "A Rocket Blasting Off" (March 11, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "When Things Get Rough" (March 18, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "A Dark Day (1)" (April 29, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "Real Never Waits" (May 13, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "Wow Me" (September 30, 2014)
• Chicago Fire - "Nobody Touches Anything" (November 11, 2014)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Chicago Crossover" (November 12, 2014)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - "Daydream Believer" (April 29, 2015)

References